Every good yearbook starts with a plan September 16, 2010

Every good yearbook starts with a plan

As your staff sets out on their yearbook quest for the upcoming school year, it is crucial for them to understand the importance of using their ladder to get the book organized and on track.

Whether it is an online ladder, or a paper ladder diagram up on the wall, every yearbook staff should make use of the ladder – mapping out every spread. Here are some key points to remember when making proper use of the ladder:

Before you write or enter the information on the ladder, compile a list of every topic that you think should be covered in the yearbook – from homecoming and spirit week all the way to portraits and ads.

Enter as much content detail in the ladder as you can – topics/story ideas for each spread, and which staff members are assigned to the spread.

Utilize the ladder for the placement of color, which is submitted in flats. On a ladder, pages 1, 4-5, 8-9, 12-13 and 16 are shaded one color in a signature, while 2-3, 6-7, 10-11 and 14-15 are another. Keeping color usage within a specific flat is the most cost-effective way to use color.

Perhaps most importantly, use the ladder to keep track of deadlines. The ladder is the best way to see the overall picture of what pages are due when. Be sure to mark spreads as done on the ladder as you progress through the year.

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